The Rehab Grind

The Rehab Grind

It’s been a few weeks since my last blog entry. I’m deep in the rehab process now, just grinding.

Every morning is basically the same. Massage work. Balance work. Lift. Low Load circuit. Conditioning. Stuff on the court. Four or five hours go by.

It’s pretty monotonous, and it’s not fun. I’m just trying to get through it.

The biggest change is that I’ve been out of the brace for a couple weeks now, and everything is feeling pretty good. It definitely feels good to walk around the house without the brace. The act of walking finally feels normal. That’s really nice.

Some of the balancing activities that I’m doing now are kind of an upgrade from the balance activities I was doing before. I’m able to do it for longer periods of time. I’m able to do calf raises for more reps and some weight, like wearing a weight vest. And I am slowly progressing with the AlterG.

This is the first time I’ve ever used the AlterG, and if you don’t know what it is, it uses air pressure technology to allows you to rehab without putting your full body weight on your legs. It’s like you don’t have the full effect of gravity on you (which is where the name comes from). When you set it to 20% or 30% of your body weight, it feels like you’re so much lighter and you’re just kind of walking on air. It kind of helps me slowly progress and still get the same range of motion that I would normally be getting, so that’s really cool.

The next phase of my progression is to be able to do a single-leg calf raise, and do repetitions of it, and not have fatigue or any pain or anything. And so, that’s kind of where I’m at, like slowly progressing on the AlterG. I started at like 30% of my body weight, doing a single-leg calf raise. And now we’re slowly up to like 70%, 75%. And so, I’m almost there, being able to do a single-leg calf raise. Once I am able to do that, then I can do the elliptical.

And once I’m cleared doing the elliptical for a certain time and distance, then I’m able to start running.

On a basketball court, I’m still limited to doing things where I’m basically standing still and then taking maybe one step. Everything is flat-footed. So I can do a dribble pull-up, and though I don’t jump in the air, I still do the dribble and the step. On finishes around the rim, I can do a step and finish, but staying on the ground.

That’s kind of where I’m at right now. I’m doing all dribbling drills and passing drills, but just stationary, or slowly walking across the court. I can’t really jump or do any big-time movements like that.

The hardest part of all of this is the mental grind. It’s a lot of time doing pretty boring things to get the slightest bit better every day, and of course, sometimes I don’t get better. Sometimes I take a small step back because my ankle didn’t react well to the thing that I did the day before. And so we have to walk it back a little. That’s the hardest part, and the most frustrating part for sure.

But you have to keep pushing.

I’ve been going to basically all the home games, so that’s been good. I’m not sitting out by the court yet because while the game’s going on, I’m in the back doing treatment and working out, basically putting in a second session of rehab. I see the guys at halftime and after the game a little bit, so that’s good, too.

When there’s not a game, my trainer will come over and we’ll just do the second rehab session at my house. Depending on how my ankle feels, sometimes it will just be ice and stretching, sometimes it will be another session of strength exercise, range-of-motion exercises, different things like that.

BATTLING FOR THE EAST

As much as I want to be playing, it’s remarkable how our team has figured out different ways to win games. We definitely don’t play our best every single game. There’s definitely been games that we should not have won, but we did. We’ve fought through adversity-games where we didn’t have Al, or didn’t have Marcus Morris, or somebody else got hurt. It doesn’t matter. Even when we get down in a game, we find a way to come back. We find ways to win. We did that again in LA to break that little losing streak.

It’s a testament to the players, their mental makeup and how our guys are wired. We’re natural competitors. We have a lot of guys that do the little things, that scrap and fight. Part of it is definitely Coach Stevens and the way he’s able to not panic, and instead, encourage our guys and put them in the right positions to be successful.

It’s been a brutal schedule, playing as many games as they have in such short amount of time, and then going to London too. I’m definitely proud of the way those guys have fought through it, and now we’ve reached the second half of our season.

Hopefully, with the games being a little bit more spaced out, we can gain some energy and get rolling as the season comes down towards the playoffs. We’re definitely going to need it because there are a bunch of teams vying for the title in the East.

Cleveland is always a threat because of LeBron. They are struggling right now, but they usually seem to struggle a little bit at some point in time throughout the year and then figure it out come playoff time. They also just got Isaiah back, who is figuring things out and will work his way into the player that he was last year. And so, they are obviously dangerous.

Toronto has been playing really well. Washington is a good team. And then, Miami has won a bunch of games. So, there’s definitely a lot of teams in the East that are sneaky good. And we haven’t really blown out too many teams.

We are always in games with these other teams, and these other teams can play.

OFF THE COURT

Things have been good on the homefront as well. When I have an off day, I’m relaxing and hanging out and not doing much. Other times Robyn and I go on a date, to a movie or out to dinner. Sometimes I have scheduled appearances-for community work or a commercial or something like that.

For the most part, it’s been pretty uneventful.

I’ve been playing a couple of video games here and there. The Overwatch League debuted not that long ago. It was cool to watch. I’m definitely intrigued to see how that does, because that is definitely a big-time league with a lot of money involved. Blizzard is arguably the most popular eSports video game company of all-time, so it will be interesting to see how they do with this league.

Besides that, I’ve definitely become better at Destiny. For a while, I was playing it all the time, and with a game like that — a first-person shooter — the more you play, the better (and more accurate) you’ll be since it’s all based around muscle memory.

FAMILY UPDATE

One of the highlights of the last month or so was Christmas. Both Robyn’s family and mine were here over the holidays, and it was great to see them. The thing that really stood out on Christmas Day, though, was Bernie.

Since she’s two now, she’s a lot more aware of what’s happening, so as you might imagine, she really, really enjoyed opening presents this year. It didn’t matter who the present was supposed to be for. Bernie thought that she was the one who was supposed to open it.

So she just opened everyone’s presents.

In a way, I think everyone else was just as happy about it. I feel like it is always a little awkward when you’re opening presents that people gave you because there’s always that pressure to like what you got.

That tension was released when Bernie just opened your present for you.

And of course, since Charlie tries to do everything Bernie does, she tried to open presents, too. But she just isn’t as fast and strong as Bernie, so she was always a couple of steps behind.

As far as their own gifts went, Bernie and Charlie seemed to like all their toys. But I think Bernie was more excited about unwrapping things than anything else.

FEELING THANKFUL

Last but not least: I want to thank all of the fans for continuing to support me while I work to get better. On the days when things get really tough, seeing a positive tweet or message on Instagram means a lot. I really do appreciate that.

Keep supporting our guys, too, and I’ll check back in with all of you soon.

Thank you for taking the time to update your fans and fans of the Celts as well. We are anxiously awaiting your return, but patience is importance in dealing with injuries. Sounds like things are going well. Keep up the good work, Gordon!

It’s so cool that you do this for us. I’m glad you’re doing well and consistently fighting through this adversity. It must be crazy to find yourself excited to be able to walk around your house, but you’ve gone through so much to get to even that point. Celtics Nation cannot wait to see you back in green in the Garden!

Really nice to see things going well, some stuff needs time to get done, when you feel down just think abou all the great things that are still gonna happen with you i hope you and the girls are enjoying the city and the people, Good Luck, and remember it´s about to get crazy G.

Thanks for the update Gordon! as a die hard Celtics fan, it’s so cool to see how hard you’re working to get back out there. Gets me even more pumped to see you back out there. We already love you! So get well and take the time.

Thanks Gordon! Reading these posts really make me feel like I’m part of the grind too! But as CelticsNation, we’re in it together. Can’t wait to see you rocking that Green & White next year. Be ready, the Garden is gonna go NUTS for you!

Thanks for the post Gordon. I’m getting really excited about getting GH back into the lineup with an already impressive and never give up kind of team. Good luck with the rehab and continue to enjoy those little ones. They are at such a fun age now.

Not a Celtics fan. Warriors fan actually 🙂 But I’m always rooting for hard-working and humble folks like you. I wish you and your family the very best. Nice to hear that you are progressing nicely. Have a speedy recovery so I can see you battle it out with my Dubs in the Finals. GOOD LUCK!!!!

hey Gordon –
Your story is amazingly inspirational to me. Dr. Slo
@ NEB Hospital reconstructed my ankle & repaired a tendon in december 2017. I am about 8-10 weeks behind you in my rehab. KNOW EXACTLY how you feel!
I haven’t driven my car in 56 days
& have not been able to coach hoop this winter for the 1st time in 19 years!! Life is upside down & can’t wait to get my giant boot off !
I follow the C’s very intently & cannot wait to see what greatness lies ahead as you join our squad.
Stay POSITIVE & keep in the front of your mind how awesome you really are!

I’d an injury like yours and it broke my heart to see it happen to you. Really inspiring watching how you’ve reacted and fought and I’ve no doubt you’ll come back stronger for it. Any advice on how to keep pushing on would be incredible. Supporting you from Ireland!

Just came back from a business trip in San Francisco and stayed for the weekend to atended Saturday game against the Warriors. I live in Costa Rica and have been a Celtics fan since I was a child back in the 80’s. I love this team and look forward to your return. Get well Gordon and go Celtics.

Gordon, keep up the grind. We’ll need you for playoffs time even if you aren’t 100%. You’ll be 200%. Get better soon, after this losing streak with two of the worst teams in the NBA it gets pretty scary. We’re here behind you all the way man.

I got a similar injury on 11/26 dislocating my ankle and shattering both the Tibia and Fibula. While I am still unable to put any weight on the injury the hardest part is mental. Realizing that you can’t do things and the improvement is so slow that you can’t always see the progress. Being from Utah we wish the best.

I didn’t know you had a blog. Good to see this. Yes, you are slogging through a boring time without a lot of reward from outside, but that has been the lot of most of mankind. Moms at home, guys in manufacturing, soldiers, teachers, farmers – it’s what human beings do. So you know you’re wired for it. You can do this.

Love the updates! Stay Strong Gordon, I know it can be tough but just think of what you can be doing to get on the court faster, and have a positive mindset! As a person that has been dealing with numerous surgeries on my legs, I know how it can be a struggle! But I know you can grind through this with the right mindset, and we all know you have been! Just keep on thinking about improving your leg and keeping things in the right perspective. I just wanna say that I had another surgery on my leg about 3 or 4 weeks ago and it really helps looking up to you as a role model, your a true grinder and the ultimate competitor. Keep on getting strong and keep on staying positive. With the help of God and your family, you’ll be on the court sooner than you think, I truly believe that. Your my fav player! Also, Thanks for being such a great role model for me as I myself rehab my leg, it really helps looking up to you. God Bless and Get Well soon!

Why on earth would you not be meditating as part of you “off the court” routine? Has no one explained to you how beneficial this could be? I’d highly recommend you incorporate some into your life immediately. As fans, we’re stoked that you’re trying everything you can to get back on the court. This might just be one more piece to help give you even MORE advantage as a player when you come back. If nothing else it will help you manage some of the emotions that will inevitably come up when you get back to playing full speed. Don’t be foolish and wait until you’re playing on the court again to start meditating. At that point it will be too late to make an impact. Start now and build on it over the next few weeks. Keep up the good work either way. It will be exciting to watch you play when you do return.

I have been a Boston fan since Larry Bird I am proud of the Celtics being so supportive of you during this time you should feel very good about the way your fans and your team are there for you every day and care about your wellbeing ,both phisical and mental ,because of that I am proud to be a Celtic fan

Stay positive Gordon and just keep grinding. I tore a bunch of ligaments in my ankle last year, the rehab was monotonous and I never thought I was going to be able to get back to the same level that I was at. Just like with any injury all of a sudden your start making bigger strides and then you can’t remember the exact point that it started to feel better but you know that you are actually making big improvements each day. That time will come for you too. I just kept thinking about my teammates and being back on the field with them. That really helped with the mental side of rehab. Keep grinding.

Thank you for working so hard to come back. I tore my meniscus a little earlier than you broke your ankle and seeing you work so hard on coming back motivated me. Continue doing what you’re doing and become the best you can be

Hey Gordon keep up the good work with the rehab, we are patiently waiting for your return. Have you tried PUBG? Buggy as heck but fun! Hit me up on battlenet Fierce#1169 lets get a game going of OW, PUBG, or HOTS!

I’m a friend of friends of yours. Been following since the injury and it’s been awesome seeing the hard work and the humble honesty coming from you. Keep working hard on and off the court. Keep grinding Destiny with all 50 of us still playing lol.

With over 20 years of experience in task specific movement enhancement I understand your use of the Alterg. It is however the stress of gravity that will get you back to where you were. It is critical to restore bone density and repair and strengthen any tendon or ligament damage that you may have suffered. I work with individuals ranging from those with neuromuscular disorders to elite athletes. As a longtime Celtics fan I am not trying to sell you anything but certainly can get you back a lot faster and prevent it from reoccurring.

Glad to see you doing will Gordon Hayward hope you have a speedy recovery and get back to 100% we will be waiting to see you play in the court again in mid-late march or keep doing what your doing see you on the court soon.

Gordon, Your an excellent basketball player and sound like a pretty nice humble person. I wish you the best and hope you get back to your all star form – I think the Celtics are gonna need you to dethrone the king! Get Well SOOON

Get well soon, Gordon! It’s really heartening to see your progress. I’ve ruptured my calf muscle completely in the past, and you’re right; rehab, walking boots, and daily exercises can get pretty arduous. We all know you can do it, though, and we’re excited to have you back whenever you’re completely comfortable and healthy.

Hi Gordon, I am a professional rugby league player from Australia.
I also underwent surgery 2 months before yourself, for exactly the same injury. I really wanted to say thank you for your blog posts about your recovery. It feels as though a have a “benchmark” to where I should be at or close to considering the differences in our budgets!
Thanks again and will be on the look out for the next one

Gordon I’m a lifetime Utah Jazz fan – and a lifetime Gordon Hayward fan. Reading your posts helps me feel and understand what you’re going through. Keep going! I love your blog about Christmas presents and the end where you discuss gratitude. In the same spirit of updating us (your true fans) on your life, it’s hard as a Jazz fan not to wish you were still with the Jazz. How good we’d be. My hope is that you and the Celtics get to the finals every year the next 3-5 years… you’ve been my favorite player (and my kids) for s long time – and we’re rooting for you. I apologize for the jerks (who are fans but feel rejected) who make terrible comments. I know they are the vocal minority. Utah Jazz fans will always be grateful for you. Can’t wait to see you on the court!

Good day, Mr. Hayward! I hope you might get a chance to read this message of mine. I’ve been recently an NBA fan since my former basketball player cousin encourages me to watch the games on television. I also witnessed some of painful injuries (including yours) the players have suffered and it motivated me more to graduate as a licensed Physical Therapist soon. Also, way back 3 years ago, I was involved in a traumatic vehicular accident that left me to be on immobilizer cast with crutches because of a tear in medial meniscus (a soft tissue that can be found above the shin bone). The struggle was real especially during lunchtime going down our canteen or walking around the school campus. However, with my loved ones support and positivity of the hospital rehab team, I finally recovered after 9 PT sessions for 3 weeks. Next month, I’ll be on my Senior Year as a PT student who continues striving for knowledge and learning new ideas since I’m about to face the world Internship next year. Anyways, good luck towards your progress and recovery! I wish you all the best! Looking forward seeing you playing on court next year!